our occupational health assessments

We have accrued a significant amount of experience practising in occupational health in addition to years of medical training and previous experience in medical specialities, so you can be assured that our assessments will be professional and provide the best results possible for your company.

Wherever possible we want to help employees to fulfill healthy and productive working lives, and come to a win-win solution in difficult or complex cases.

We often use remote telephone assessments with a senior physician to enable flexible and fast occupational health doctor assessments where appropriate to do so. This allows us to provide a report sometimes even within 24 hours of a referral in particularly urgent cases.

What is involved?

An assessment by occupational health doctor take into account the specific role and requirements and assesses how medical issues effect this. A full medical and employment history is taken, assessing together with any psychological or social factors which may be relevant.

As an organisation, we ensure that our occupational health practitioners keep up to date within the rapidly changing field of occupational health, taking account of developments such as legal cases which impact on employment decisions, and research findings in occupational health and medicine as a whole.

Fitness for Work Assessment

Part of the fitness for work assessment matches up the functional ability of the person in question to the actual requirements of the job. This includes:

• Physical attributes (stamina, mobility, locomotor function, posture, dexterity and grip),

• Sensory (coordination, balance, vision, hearing),

• Intellectual (memory, attention, concentration, depression, anxiety, motivation)

• Miscellaneous features such as treatment side effects, risk of incapacitation, any aids or appliances which are needed or assessment of 3rd party risks (for example risk of infection in food handlers).

Generally a report will include:

Background information -including the scope and purpose of the assessment and that the person consented for a report to be released

A brief summary of the reasons for referral.

An explanation of the medical situation is given, although it is not necessary for confidential medical information to be included unless absolutely necessary, and this would be with the express consent of the person involved.

A key feature is explaining how the medical issues impact on function as it relates to undertaking work tasks.

Options for treatment and whether there are any obstacles to this, or if unexplored possibilities exist. An indication is normally given regarding progress made or anticipated in obtaining treatment and the prospects for recovery over the short and long-term. Any other issues preventing a return to work would be discussed.

Importantly any specific questions raised by management or Human Resources should be answered and an opinion and recommendations should be given definitively on:

• The person's current fitness to work

• Does a disability exist as defined under the Equality Act 2010?

• The prognosis of this condition with timescales

• Recommendations for treatment options

• Suggestions for consideration of potential adjustments or restrictions and the timescale involved

• Recommendations for a possible phased return to work where appropriate

• The likelihood of continuing fitness in the future

• Recommendations for review if appropriate

• A final summary of any action taken